This 6 course lunch was paired with Nitida wines (have a look at that website, it’s one of the coolest wine estate websites I’ve seen). But not just one wine per course, we were given a mini vertical of each wine so two different vintages of each! I was impressed with Nitida wines, I’d never really had the opportunity to try them properly. Testing the different vintages was interesting, I was really blown away by the older sauvignon blancs. Also, wines are always better paired with great food. It was interesting trying both wines with each course and working out which paired better.

The food, every course, was amazing. The dessert was really spectacular.

Below is the menu with not very good photos (taken with my Blackberry) of each course. When you’ve had a look at it you will probably want to book for the next Chef’s Table. You can do so by calling the restaurant on 021 789 1390. There are only 15 seats at the Chef’s Table and the price is about R600. More information is available on the Foodbarn website.

Course 1
Fresh fish sashimi with lemon and chives on slightly smoked eggplant, served with croutons, confied shallots and home grown tender leaves
Paired with: Nitida Sauvignon Blanc 2009 and 2011

Course 2
Home made fettuccine with shitake mushroom, buttered miso, fresh mint & coriander
Paired with: Nitida Semillon 2003 and 2010

Course 3
Crispy duck livers served with braised endives & fresh wild rocket, finished with a Port and mild chilli cream
Paired with: Nitida Coronata 2007 & Coronata Integration 2010

Course 4
Grilled free range beef rump, served with mushroom & ricotta ravioli, finished with a walnut and parsley vinaigrette
Paired with: Nitida Calligraphy 2002 and 2010

Course 5
The friendship “tartine” of Camembert like my Granddad used to do
Paired with: Nitida Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 and 2010

Course 6
Fresh black figs and berries gratinated in a almond sabayon and served with a peach and rosemary ice cream
Paired with: Nitida NLH 2008 and Nitida Modjadji 2011

There seems to be a trend of people opening small restaurants with limited menu and wine list, often open for limited hours. I reviewed The Dog’s Bollocks the other day which is basically a guy selling burgers out of his garage in the evenings, and this last weekend I went to The Table at De Meye.

We were lunching with our good friends Roger and Dawn from Jorgensen’s Distillery, and they suggested this as a good place to have a nice long, relaxed lunch. They were right, it’s a great place to have a nice long, relaxed lunch. It was a boiling hot day and the tables were all positioned in the shade of the various trees scattered around the lawn.

It was warm but we kept well hydrated. They stock Darling beers so we had to start with a round of those. Then to be responsible we ordered some water. They offer tap water, served in those cool retro Dairybelle orange juice bottles (remember from the days when they delivered milk and orange juice to your house?). But the filtered water (still or sparkling) is only R10 a bottle as they filter and gas it themselves. The filtered water is also served in a reusable bottle. And if you are one of those people who puts the reusable bottle in your bag and takes it home, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF! It’s called stealing. Look it up.

We then got serious and ordered some MCC. They only sell De Meye wines except for alternatives when they don’t have that variety of grape. So the MCC is from Saltare and it’s great. The wines are very reasonably priced. The MCC was R150 and it’s priced at R140 from the estate so that’s a steal. The De Meye wines are priced from R55 to R90 with one costing R125.

It’s good that the wines are inexpensive because the food, at about R250 for 3 courses, is not. But there is a good reason for that. While just about every restaurant these days tells you they use fresh, local ingredients where possible (something I quite expect regardless), the provenance of each ingredient at The Table is important and this information is shared with the patrons. Commitment to the sourcing of ingredients of such high quality attracts a premium price.

The way the menu works is a bit different to your normal a la carte restaurant. The Table is only open for lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and the menu for each week is set in advance. A ‘menu du jour‘ if you will. You can view the menu on their website before booking to check that you are happy with it. Vegetarians will be catered for with advance notice. The ingredients are all purchased according to the bookings (less than 10 tables per day) so last minute cancellations are a costly exercise. Why do Capetonians do this?

Below is the menu we enjoyed:

Starter

there’s a trick to good chicken livers that Camilla learned years ago from a griller called Goodman. she’s got a stunning knack with getting the spiciness just right and will only use livers from free range, hormone-free chickens. They are completely delicious and we’ll be serving them with crusty bread on a bed of Steve the Magic Man’s organic baby leaves as a salad for starters.

Main

oven roast Karoo lamb is the main, we’re still quibbling over the cut, but our butcher Wim has sourced some lovely meat for us. there will be hasselback potatoes with that because they’re just so good and a little seasonal salad. one of our favourite books at the moment is Movida, and the Moroccan-influenced carrot salad will make another triumphant appearance on tables this week.

Dessert

if you have room left, we are considering the heat and serving ouefs a la nege, a light dessert of soft meringue islands in creme anglaise. thoroughly delicious and just the ticket before a little sleep under an oak tree.

As you can see, very personalised and all about the ingredients. Everything was delicious. It’s certainly not fancy (except for the dessert, that was pretty fancy). The food is served on platters for the table and each person helps themselves (except for the dessert, that was fancy). It’s country style eating with a focus on the simple, true flavours of the ingredients combined in slightly unusual but careful ways.

The same attention that is paid to the food, is paid to the service. While Camilla and her brother look after the kitchen, Russel, Camilla’s husband, handles front of house with the assistance of 1x super jacked waitress (Mariska). Russel introduces each dish to the table, explaining a little about the ingredients and from where they are sourced. The service is best described as personal. Almost as if you’re having lunch at a (very helpful) friend’s place rather than a restaurant.

We arrived at about 1:30pm and departed at about 5:30pm after a stroll around the deli which sells some of the handmade sauces and relishes which accompany the meal. Don’t book at The Table if you’re short on time, it’s the quintessential long, lazy lunch. But be sure to book early in the week to avoid disappointment.

The Table at De Meye
Muldersvlei Road, Stellenbosch
Tel: 083 252 9588
http://www.thetablerestaurant.co.za

ps. I took the photos off their website as mine did not turn out well.

I can’t recall how I heard about The Dog’s Bollocks. It may have been some mentions on Twitter and if you Google it (try dogs bollocks roodehek), you’ll see a bunch of people have reviewed it already. It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting. It’s a guy, called Nigel, selling burgers from his garage. I’m not sure it’s even legal.

It’s supposed to be a takeaway burger spot, there are some tables and chairs (old school wire garden furniture to be more precise) for people to wait for their burgers to be prepared. Wait you will, as these are no McDonald’s burgers which can be slapped together in 1 minute and 17 seconds. These big boys are made individually, with love. So expect to wait around 10 minutes.

Some people choose to eat their burgers there (as we did). We also bought some of the wine that Nigel makes. It’s called Ukuva iAfrika. It comes in 1.5L cardboard tubes and he charges R50. There were 2 whites and one red on offer, we opted for the 2010 cabernet sauvignon & shiraz blend which was pretty easy drinking.

The interesting thing (well, is there anything about this place that isn’t interesting?) about The Dog’s Bollocks is that Nigel only makes 30 burgers an evening. When they are gone, that’s it. Which means you want to get there fairly early to ensure you don’t lose out. We were there at about 7:30pm. He opens at 5pm, Monday to Saturday.

There are about 12 different burgers to choose from (no vegetarian option that I noticed). It’s all beef patty and I noticed a prego option but don’t know if it’s steak or a normal burger with prego sauce. All of them are priced at R55, except for the plain burger which is R50. I went for the Old School 1950′s Style Mega Slider. Nigel tells me this is how burgers were made originally, with melted cheddar and caramelised onion. All the burgers come with a generous amount of salad in it too. My burger was pretty damn tasty, but don’t make the mistake I did of biting into it as soon as I got it. I burned my mouth quite badly.

The rest of the table ordered cheese burgers and a mexican chilli burger which actually has a chilli con carne sauce (hot). Everyone was super happy with their burgers, one person even suggested that it was the best burger he had enjoyed in South Africa.

Nigel also makes the Ukuva iAfrika sauces you may have seen around. So those are available if you want a little extra spice. I see there are also nachos on the menu but I didn’t see anyone order them. I assume they use the carne that goes on the Mexican chilli burger, which means they will be pretty tasty.

Nigel said we can tell people about the place but not where it is. So you’ll have to find it yourself, but if you happen to go down Buitenkant Street and turn left after the Shell into Roodehek Street, start looking at number 6.

They don’t have a website, but there is a Facebook page.

There is no doubt that the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate is gaining more and more traction every year. I attended it for the first time in 2010 (review here) and wasn’t able to attend last year as I was out of town. There was a huge difference this year. In 2010, most people didn’t know what I was talking about when I said I was going to the Queen’s Plate, this year most of those people were also there! And those who weren’t, wished they were.

Many people have become a bit tired of the bun fight that is the J&B Metropolitan and are choosing the more sophisticated Queen’s Plate instead. With it’s strict dress code and traditional theme of blue and white, The Queen’s Plate brings to life how we always imagine a day at the races to be.

The trendiest venues like Caprice and The Reserve have chosen to have tents at the Queen’s Plate rather than the Met, which is an indication that this is the event to attend.

As a racing event, it’s taken very seriously. This year was the 151st running of the Queen’s Plate, making it the oldest race on the South African racing calendar. With prize money of a million Rand, it’s no lightweight.

In terms of parties, when the racing is done, the music starts pumping, the ties come off and the bars get extra busy. The bands that performed this year were Tumi & the Volume (these guys are great, I bought their CD after hearing them at Symphonic Rocks) and the Kongos (click the link and listen to Come With Me Now, then you’ll know who they are), as well as Spoek Mathambo who I do not know.

I was fortunate to be invited to the VIP Stud Club, which meant I had a place to rest my weary legs and there was complimentary food and drinks all day. The VIP Stud Club was full of the who’s who, so I spent some time networking and having a few drinks. Then I decided to take a look around so I took a walk to the main stands and spent some time chatting to friends there.

Then I made my way back to the Stud Club to get another drink, check out the announcement for best dressed couple (I didn’t win) and also catch the last couple of races. We had a tote in the tent but I didn’t do any gambling.

After the last race we checked out some of the other tents before wandering over to the main stage to watch the bands. By the time Goodfellas arrived to take me home I was exhausted and it was only 10pm. Apparently the party carried on much longer but I was happily in bed by then.

The Queen’s Plate is a great day out. If you missed it, shame. Make sure it’s in your diary for next year.

I attended the opening of Harbour House in the V&A Waterfront a few weeks back and I could tell straight away it was going to be a popular spot. I wasn’t wrong as I went to try it out on a Monday night recently and it was packed. Admittedly it is December and most restaurants in the Waterfront were packed but I think it definitely belongs in my Top 5 Waterfront Restaurants.

If you’re a fan of Harbour House in Kalk Bay then you are likely to be pleased with the new one as the menu and wine list are exactly the same. There is a also a fabulous view of the harbour (not quite as fabulous as Kalk Bay, but fabulous nonetheless). My dining partner described the decor as ‘riverside chic’. I don’t really know what that means but apparently those in the know will. The external walls are all glass, affording a good view of the harbour on one side and the hustle and bustle of the Waterfront on the other. The floor, beams, pillars, etc are all made of wood as are the chairs and tables. The chairs are white and the tables are covered with white tablecloths, creating a crisp, clean, chic look.

We started at a table outside which was great until the sun set and the heaters could no longer hold back the cold wind. Fortunately a table became available inside and we enjoyed our mains and dessert there. Service was friendly and capable, by a Zimbabwean gentleman named Sunshine.

We started with the ceviche (R85) and the masala dusted calamari (R75). I found the ceviche to be rather unusual, more like a ceviche salad with fresh cucumber, tomato, etc. The calamari was tender and the masala subtle.

I had the tuna nicoise (R155) main, which was a seared tuna steak served with boiled baby potatoes, green beans and anchovy mayo. My dining partner had the yellowtail linefish (R135) which came on a bed of spinach with a beurre blanc sauce. We were both pleased with out dishes.

Dessert was definitely the highlight though. We struggled to choose as the waiter recommended the traditional creme brulee, but everything sounded so good. We finally chose the New York style baked cheese cake with cinnamon ice-cream which was unbelievably good. Seriously, if you’re a cheese cake fan, put this on your list. The cinnamon ice-cream was also legend. I had the caramelized lemon tart with chocolate ice-cream. Also fantastic, although I’m not convinced that chocolate is the best flavour ice cream to pair with the very rich tart. I might have served it with something a bit lighter, like a melon sorbet or something.

The place was buzzing, so there was a great atmosphere. We arrived at 8pm and only left at 11:30pm. We popped upstairs to the bar afterwards but it was closed. It looks like a great spot for drinks and maybe some sushi. Overall, a great addition to the Waterfront.

Harbour House
Quay 4, V&A Waterfront
Tel: 021 418 4744
http://www.waterfront.co.za/eat/eatcontent/Pages/HarbourHouse.aspx# 

The primary element of the marketing campaign was the Puma entry in the Volvo Ocean race. The first leg of the race was from Alicante in Spain to Cape Town and Puma had arranged all sorts of events and activities around their boat, Mar Mostro.

The first I heard about it was when they launched a special limited edition beer (600 cases only) in collaboration with &Union. Kreechr was Puma’s second collaboration with &Union, the first being Unity beer during the World Cup to tie into their sponsorship of African soccer teams in the World Cup.

It was through the beer that I learnt about Mar Mostro and the Volvo Ocean Race, which is apparently the most hardcore ocean race ever. The party at Quay 4 in the Waterfront was to celebrate the performance of Mar Mostro in the first leg of the race. Unfortunately the Puma boat actually dismasted but managed to stay in the race and arrived in Cape Town with enough time for repairs before the next leg.

The party started at 4pm which meant plenty of sunshine, and it was a perfect day. There were top DJ’s (eg. Craig de Sousa) laying down some funky beats before the bands started playing at about 8pm. Included in the lineup were legend bands like Them Tornados, Jack Parow and The Wedding DJs.

With a lineup like that it was no surprise that the event was well attended. There was an extra bar outside to ensure it was easy to get a drink (why do so many events struggle with this simple concept?), and there was plenty of Kreechr beer available at the bars.

As you would expect from a Puma Social Club event, there were social games like table tennis, foosball for additional entertainment.

I had a great time. I arrived early and left late without being bored. I had a great chat with someone that works at Puma about their environmental initiatives and it was uplifting to hear that Puma are taking their environmental responsibility very seriously.

You can read more about the Volvo Ocean Race and the adventures of Mar Mostro here.

Review Summary: You must go and see this show!

I saw Phantom of the Opera for the first time at the Artscape in 2004 and I remember thinking it was the most amazing show I had ever seen. After seeing it nearly 8 years later for a 2nd time, I still think it’s the most amazing show I have ever seen.

People seem to agree with me as it’s been going for 25 years now, with over 130 million people having seen it so far.

 Every element of this show is spectacular, the sets, the costumes, the special effects. It even has a good storyline (unlike Cats) and I thought the performances, bar one or two minor roles, were stellar. The overture which ends the opening scene is so powerful, it gives you gooseflesh which hardly gets a chance to settle as you’re dazzled by a steady stream of powerful scenes replete with stirring music and special effects.

I have a problem with people giving standing ovations at every show they attend, because it detracts from the power of a well deserved standing ovation. For me a standing ovation is not really an academic decision about whether the performance deserves more than a round of applause , it’s an emotional reaction. When you get to the end of the show and the cast comes out to bow, you actually can’t stay in your seat because the appreciation wants to explode out of you.

That’s how you feel at the end of Phantom.

Phantom of the Opera runs at the Artscape until 14th January. Tickets range from R125 to R375 and it’s worth every cent however much you pay. Tickets available from Computicket.

Read all about the show on the official website where you can even listen to some of the music http://www.thephantomoftheopera.com/south-africa

Here is the (alphabetical in scoring band) list of all the winners, wine lists are scored out of a possible 100 points.

Inspirational (91 – 100/100 points)

96 Winery Road
Aubergine Restaurant
Bosman’s Restaurant
Restaurant Mosaic
Reuben’s at The One & Only
Rodwell House

Outstanding (66 – 90/100 points)

Azure Restaurant
Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat
Capelands Restaurant Mangiare
French Toast Wine & Tapas Bar
Karibu Restaurant
Kitima at the Kronendal
The Grill Room
Zachary’s Restaurant

Excellent (41 – 65/100 points)

Bientang’s Cave Restaurant
Blue Water Café
Café del Sol
Dear Me
Fishmonger Centurion
Hemingway’s Restaurant and Wine Cellar
Pigalle Restaurants Sandton
Pride of India
Prosopa Restaurant
Reuben’s Restaurant & Bar
The Raj Indian Restaurant
Verdicchio Restaurant & Wine Cellar

Highly Regarded (30 – 40/100 points)

Arpeggio Ristoranté
La Pentola
Pigalle Restaurants Bedfordview
Pigalle Restaurants Melrose Arch
Sofia’s at Morgenster
TSG 4Ways Mediterranean Grill Café
Zinzi Restaurant

Good Value award winners had to achieve a minimum score of 40+/100 for Quality and 80/100 for Value (in alphabetical order):

96 Winery Road
Bientang’s Cave Restaurant
Blue Water Café
Café del Sol
Capelands Restaurant Mangiare
Fishmonger Centurion
Hemingway’s Restaurant & Wine Cellar
Karibu Restaurant
Kitima at the Kronendal
Prosopa Restaurant
Restaurant Mosaic
Rodwell House
Verdicchio Restaurant & Wine Cellar